Who are we?
Isla de Crear is a creative centre, combining a range of different disciplines in order to explore creating and crafting in a new method, away from commercial constraints or industry guidelines, based on the principles of the Fantasism manifesto. We are open to people of all ages and backgrounds, and only ask that you have a keen interest in pro-actively seeking the strange and unique connections, through interdisciplinary and international collaboration.
The centre is located in Úbeda, in the Jaén region of Andalusia, southern Spain, where the sun is out 300 days of the year, in the middle of the Sea of Olives, with no neighbours for miles, but we are by a main road (so it can get noisy sometimes), just outside Úbeda, a UNESCO world heritage site and home to a buzzing community of artisan craftspeople and a lot of cultural events.
The art residency call out
For our second call-out, we are looking for artists, craftspeople, thinkers and creatives from all different fields to explore the theme: MYTH
We are purposefully keeping the theme as broad as possible, and encourage you to think as tangentially as possible. We are not looking for the same ol’ works, but instead want to encourage all our visiting creatives to challenge themselves into doing new things and exploring new forms.
We are particularly interested in people who wish to work with found objects and repurpose them, as our junk yard is full of materials, but we are open to all forms of creations: visual, performative, audible, theoretical, scholarly, written, etc.
Duration of residency
Between 4-12 weeks.
In your application, please make sure to specify when you would like to come and for how long
Accommodation
We offer all creatives a private en-suite bedroom (with a toilet and shower), with a shared living space, which includes: a kitchen, a large living room, laundry facilities (to be used in agreement with the team), a library and many indoor and outdoor working spaces. All activities will be arranged with the other creatives and the team that live in the property. Creatives are also required to adhere to cleanliness and behave in a courteous and non-discriminative fashion. Rooms should be kept clean and returned in the same state they were when arrived.
Isla de Crear is located 8 KMs from the nearest town of Úbeda, and comprises of a large scrap yard, which you will be allowed to use at the discretion of the team.
Apart from the communal kitchen, you will have the option of opting in for other meals cooked by the team.
Do note that there is no public transport available between the centre and Úbeda, but we do offer regular rides to town for shopping and there is a taxi service available.
Disciplines, work equipment and assistance
We welcome artists and creatives from all ages, disciplines, backgrounds and nationalities. We particularly encourage people who are looking to make new links between different forms.
Apart from your own private bedroom, you will receive a private or shared working space (depending on your needs), as well as use of the different studios and workshops. You will also have access to some materials in the scrap yard.
We welcome groups/companies wanting to apply together, especially for the performing arts, but please note that each creative will need to pay a separate participation fee. For groups of 3 or more, do get in touch for discounts.
If you would like to bring in performers for a short period during your residency, please discuss with us.
We recommend creatives bring their own materials/tools. We may be able to help purchase materials for you, so do feel free to reach out to us to discuss your needs. Do note that it is also your responsibility to arrange any logistics to do with taking your works back home.
Studio / Workspace
Apart from your en-suite accommodation and shared living spaces, we offer 8 different work spaces, a 50 sqm dance studio with a wooden floor, which can be used for rehearsals, a 300 sqm workshop space with machinery, some materials that can be repurposed, access to an office and supplies, a library, outside spaces, adorable animals and our support and advice, but we ask that you read the Fantasism manifesto and ensure you subscribe to it.
We also have a woodworking workshop. The machinery can only be used by people with the relevant experience at dedicated hours.
Fees and support
We want to be able to accept creatives regardless of their financial situation, but as a not-for-profit co-operative,
we are limited with how much we can offer.
If you would like to come but can’t afford the participation fee, we are open to the possibility of you donating skills that can be useful to the centre. Please include in your application a statement (not more than 500 words) about why you are unable to contribute towards your stay.
Participation fee:
€181.25 per week + VAT (€199.40) – minimum 4 weeks.
Discounts apply for residencies – 7 weeks or longer.
This fee goes towards running costs of the property, utilities (Wi-Fi, water, electricity, cleaning supplies, etc…), upkeep of the facilities, administrative tasks, and consultations. The fee also covers a pick-up and drop-up from Úbeda bus stop or Linares train station.
If you are selected as one of our participants, you will be required to pay a deposit of €300 within 10 days of your acceptance, to secure your place. This deposit will be returned at the end of the residency, upon inspection of the room, assuming there were no damages. In case of cancellation of the residency, this deposit will not be refunded.
Creatives should cover the participation fee, their travel costs, daily expenses, and cost of production of personal works beyond basic supplies provided by the residency. We can help with an acceptance letter for any funding applications that the creatives apply for.
We do our best to ensure guests’ safety at all times, but we cannot take responsibility for personal illness, injuries, or accidents. Nor can we take responsibility for lost, stolen, or damaged personal belongings. Please make sure you have adequate travel and health insurance prior to travel.
It is advised for creatives to have their own transport, but if not, we will help with local travel needs, or there is a taxi service.
Expectations towards the artist
The aim of the residency is to investigate new forms of working and to create outside of the artists’ comfort zones. We want creatives to explore, experiment and take risks.
The process will be supported with weekly meetings with the resident curator to discuss the progress of the work.
The aim of the residency is to explore, and the focus should be on experimentation and not on a result. For that reason IDC, does not offer an exhibition/performance at the end of the process.
Application information
Before applying, please make sure you have read and subscribe to the Fantasism manifesto.
We will consider applications on a rolling basis as they arrive, however, we will only respond to applicants we wish to invite to a virtual chat. If you would like us to send you a generic, templated rejection letter, please request one in your application.
Please fill in this basic questionnaire https://bit.ly/3u2ndn7 designed to help us adapt our chat to suit your application. You don’t have to answer any of the questions if you don’t want to. This questionnaire should be submitted alongside your application.
Additionally, we would like an example that shows your work and something that indicates what you would like to do at our residency.
For this, we want you to apply in the way that is most comfortable for you and indicative of your practice – whether it’s a written document, a filmed presentation or a dance piece. Go wild.
You can send your application to idc@isladecrear.eu – or get in touch if you wish to submit in any other method.
If you would prefer a more structured application form, please answer the following questions:
- What project do you want to work on here and what do you expect would be the result (if at all)?
- Who are you? What do you do? What have you done? What do you want to do in future?
- Why us? And what do you expect from us?
The application is free of charge and should be completed in English.
Read our Terms & Conditions before applying https://isladecrear.eu/terms.html
